Why Free?
While Free Christians share much with Christian groups that use words like 'Progressive' and 'Radical' to describe themselves, such groups can have an agenda that Free Christians do not have and their material can sometimes seem rather negative.
This may be because such groups are formed in opposition to a conservative, even fundamentalist, view of Christianity, whereas Free Christians are likely to be seen as on the more traditional wing of the Unitarian and Free Christian movement.
And perhaps for this reason, it is probably true to say that Free Christians are more sympathetic to traditional Christian forms and formulas, simply asking that they are not oliged to agree with them in order to be accepted as Christians. It is also probably true to say that Free Christians are more interested in the flesh and blood Jesus of Nazareth than in a symbolic, mythical Christ-figure that is sometimes encountered in 'progressive' circles.
Of course, the word 'Free' has its drawbacks (which is partly why the Christian Compass journal dropped it in favour of 'Inclusive' - which in turn sends out its own message) but as long as it is understood to mean no more than unfettered by credal obligation, it is probably a reasonable adjective. The name Wayfarers has been chosen as an alternative for this site, more on that later.
While Free Christians share much with Christian groups that use words like 'Progressive' and 'Radical' to describe themselves, such groups can have an agenda that Free Christians do not have and their material can sometimes seem rather negative.
This may be because such groups are formed in opposition to a conservative, even fundamentalist, view of Christianity, whereas Free Christians are likely to be seen as on the more traditional wing of the Unitarian and Free Christian movement.
And perhaps for this reason, it is probably true to say that Free Christians are more sympathetic to traditional Christian forms and formulas, simply asking that they are not oliged to agree with them in order to be accepted as Christians. It is also probably true to say that Free Christians are more interested in the flesh and blood Jesus of Nazareth than in a symbolic, mythical Christ-figure that is sometimes encountered in 'progressive' circles.
Of course, the word 'Free' has its drawbacks (which is partly why the Christian Compass journal dropped it in favour of 'Inclusive' - which in turn sends out its own message) but as long as it is understood to mean no more than unfettered by credal obligation, it is probably a reasonable adjective. The name Wayfarers has been chosen as an alternative for this site, more on that later.
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